Namsan Tower

First of all, it’s not really called Namsan Tower anymore…the official name is N Seoul Tower, but it still sits on top of Namsan Mountain, so the locals still call it Namsan Tower.  Confused yet?

Next, how to get there.  You can see the tower from most places in Seoul that are north of the Han River.  There are a couple of bus lines that drive up the mountain, but I took the cable car…well, because I like cable cars.  And really, the view of watching the bustling city melt away is with the cost of the ticket.  To take the cable car, take the subway Line 4 (the light blue line) to Myeongdong Station and take exit 3.  Turn and face Namsan Mountain.  If you are unsure (as if you can’t see the tower on top of the mountain) the main shopping street of Myeongdong will be to your back.  And if your back, knees, ankles…essentially, your lower body, are in bad shape, you might want to take a taxi from here…because even though I consider myself moderately fit (i.e., not skinny, but not fat) I was huffing and puffing by the time I got there.  Start walking up the hill.  The Pacific Hotel sits in the fork in the road.  Take the right fork (the hotel will be on the left) and keep walking.  (By the way, if you take the left fork there is a deceptive orange path painted on the road...you are NOT going in the right direction!)  You will think you should be there long before you actually make it, but just keep on the road.  You will eventually see the building for the cable cars and will need to make your way up 2 kinda steep flights of stairs to the ticket booth.

Now, I will digress.  You feel a certain sense of walking back in time.  You leave behind the glitzy bustle of stylishly dressed Koreans shopping for the latest fashions in neat, clean department stores blasting Kpop music.  You begin to enter an older, slightly dingy and quietly serene neighborhood of guesthouses, traditional-style restaurants.  Eventually, you will arrive at the ancient (or at least very, very old) fortifications of the NamSeoul fortification.

FYI, “nam” means south or southern, so NamSeoul means “south Seoul” even though it is in the modern-day northern area of Seoul.  In the ancient royal city this was the southern border of the city.  So “Namsan” means “south mountain” because “san” is mountain” so technically “Namsan mountain” is redundant, but everyone calls it that, so I will too…and that means “Namsan Tower” means “south mountain tower.”  Got it?

Anyway, go buy a round trip ticket for the cable car.  If you just go to the window and say “round trip” and hold up the number of fingers for the number of tickets you need you will be fine.  The round trip ticket was 8,500 won (or just short of $8).  Head up two more flights of stairs to the boarding area.  Pack in to the cable car like sardines and watch the city melt away as you ride to the top of the mountain.

You are not quite to the top of the mountain when the cable car stops.  Wander around the old fortress walls and if you get there early enough watch historical re-enactors perform the beacon lighting.  If you happen to miss the re-enactment (or you’re like me and wait until it is over) you can walk along the signal tower.  Catch your breath by taking in the already fabulous view and looking at the thousands of locks, placed there by couples, that symbolize the strength of their love.  You can eat at one of the restaurants if you want.  Then, head over and get your ticket to the top of the tower.  You can buy a combination meal/observatory ticket if you want, but I just got the observatory ticket for 9,000 won.

Enter the tower and take the 30 second elevator ride to the top.  You can enjoy a video of blasting off the surface of the earth and into the stars on the way up.

Now, the view is really something.  You can see well across the Han River from here.  The markets on the widows tell you how far different cities around the world are when you look out.  You can also send a love letter from the “world’s highest post office,” make a wish at the love pond (or whatever it is called), grab a snack, or just take a rest and enjoy the view.  You can also buy a souvenir photograph (because really, after all the effort and money already spent there, now is not the time to be chintzy).

Go back down to earth and watch the stars melt away on the elevator ride down.  Make your way back along the fortress walls, back through time, onto the cable car, and watch the city come back into focus.